Forever Yours
by Cavca
Summary: The War of the Ring is long past. Frodo has gone to the Undying Lands. He left her behind without hearing what she had to say and now she sends a letter to tell how she feels. Is she doomed to forever be alone or will someone she cares for return to her?
1. Chapter 1: Forever Yours

_My dearest Frodo,_

_I can't remember a time when I thought of anything but you. You were my star. You were my love. I'd have given anything just to be near you. I'd have given anything to take the pain you felt away. I have never forgotten you, even though you left so many years ago. Nothing you can do can stop me from loving you. And nothing can make me forget. . . . . . . . . _

_It is I who followed you deep in the night. It is I who never let you out of my sight. It is I who would have given my life to have just one moment with you. But why would you ever want me? When you could have anyone in the world, why oh why would you want me? Truth is you didn't. . . . I never expected you to, I guess. It's just, I had hoped. . . ._

_I remember when you first got back. How your eyes were faded, lost of the glint they'd once had. I felt like crying, all the time knowing what you'd been through. I'd followed you, you know. I'd followed you the entire time. . . . Well, that is until you reached the river. I couldn't make it in time. I had to watch out for Merry and Pippin. I knew Sam could take care of you, Tersa too. But I did know what happened. . . . Tersa told me it all._

_Your eyes. They were what told me what you had truly been through. They used to sparkle with a light I'd never seen elsewhere. When you returned, your eyes were duller, the love you had for life, gone. How I wish that light would come back. I wish I could have brought back the glow you once had._

_I remember when you first saw me after the horror. It took a second for you to recognize me, as though your eyes wouldn't focus. When you did see me, you seemed almost to smile. Your eyes held their light for a brief moment, then resumed their dull blue. You didn't speak to me. You just looked at me, then continued walking. Every hope I'd had for life being like it was before your quest, died when I saw you._

_I used to make you laugh. Before you left, I was able to bring a smile to your face so often. When you returned, I didn't have that ability. I knew what you'd been through. I tried to comfort you, but all you did was lock yourself up in Bag End and spoke to no one. I didn't know what to do. I sat outside your house every day, hoping you would come out. Sam would see me and take pity on me. He used to send me in to bring you books or food. Whatever he and Tersa thought you needed. I saw you rarely on those visits. You would hide in the darkness and only speak single sentences. 'Put it on the table.' 'Leave me be.' I didn't want to leave you. I wanted to sit down with you and hold you, tell you that everything would be alright. . . . But I knew that you wouldn't allow me to._

_Now, here I sit, years after you are long gone, hoping against all hope, that you even gave me a second glance. I wish I could have healed your cuts and scars. I wish I could have erased your pain. But you are gone. You are far off in a place that I will never reach. I do hope you find peace there. I wish for you to live, love, and dream._

_Yours, forever and always,_

_**Cavca Gamgee**_


	2. Chapter 2: Goodbyes

Chapter Two: Goodbyes

* * *

Cavca read over the letter once more before sealing it in the envelope and marking it with Frodo's name. Dersi was going to set sail for the Undying Lands to visit her parents and grandmother in a week and Cavca was hoping to ask her to deliver this letter to Frodo. She sealed it with her father's crest and placed it down onto the table once more. Dersi was supposed to be by soon to bid momentary farewell to all her friends. Cavca finally was able to get herself up, and grabbing her coat, she put the letter in one of the pockets and headed out the door on her way to Bag End. 

Sam and Tersa had been left it, though they rarely stayed there. They lived in their own home. Cavca was the one who spent the most time at Bag End. The two Bagginses who had lived there the entire time she'd known them were the two closest people to her. Bilbo Baggins was like a father to her after her own had died. When the rest of her family had lost their lives, Bilbo was always there to see her through. She loved him dearly for all the care he had shown her. Then there was Frodo. . . . Frodo had been the love of her life. She had met him when she was eight years old and had not so much as looked at another guy since. He was the only one who could bring her to talk after the three years she spent in silence when her father died. Even though he had never loved her and even though he was long gone, she couldn't bring herself to give up. She didn't hope he'd come back to her by any means. All she hoped was that he wasn't as sad as he had been the last time she had seen him and that he remembered her even the slightest bit.

Cavca Gamgee was now thirty eight years old. She had passed her 'coming of age' birthday without Frodo or Bilbo, her two favorite people. It wasn't the same without them or Gandalf. They were her first friends and all she had left of her father was in Gandalf and Bilbo. As much pain as it brought her to be apart from Frodo, she wasn't going to even try to compare with the pain he went through and was glad that he was in a place where he could get better. She wouldn't want anything to stop him from being happier. It took all she had to stop herself from building a boat and trying to sail around to find the Undying Lands by herself, but then she though about it. Even if she was able to find the Undying Lands on her own, there was no way that she'd find Frodo or that he'd want her to stay, and then she'd get lost on the way home. So, she settled to simply stay at Bag End throughout most of her life to make sure that nothing was disturbed.

Though Cavca didn't actually live in Bag End, it is almost certain that most of the neighbors thought she did. She would arrive early each morning and not leave until well after nightfall. She stayed in the house, memorizing every detail of it and looking through all of Bilbo's books, even though she'd read them all years ago. She would sit in the same seat that both Frodo and Bilbo had sat in while they wrote their stories. Sam had basically given the book to her. She read the stories over and over again. She kept the house neat and clean as though she had some secret hope that the inhabitants would some day return. Many of the townsfolk pitied her greatly. She had loved Frodo forever and she hadn't thought about dating anyone else so, because he didn't even look twice at her, she had never been kissed, never had a boyfriend, never married, and all that bull that most of the gossips would spread around. She didn't care though. Nothing fazed her. She was just there, doing her routine of cleaning and keeping Bag End.

It was almost noon when Tersa and Sam walked in, already knowing that Cavca was in the study as she always was at midday. Hearing them enter, Cavca rose from the desk, grabbing the red book with the golden tree on the front as she did. She walked out into the hallway and greeted them with a sad smile.

"Are you ready?" Sam asked looking at her with pity in his eyes. He'd known she loved Frodo the entire time. Under Cavca's explicit directions, Sam didn't tell Frodo, as much as he'd wanted to.

"I think so," Cavca said solemnly. Not only was she sending something telling her best friend that she loved him, she was also saying goodbye to another long-time dear friend.

"Are you going to be okay?" Tersa asked, hugging her.

"Yeah. Thanks Ters."

"Sure."

Cavca looked down at the red book in her hand that she had read some of everyday, over and over again, for the past six and a half years. Slowly, she moved her hand up to hand it to Sam.

"Here," she said quietly. "I'm done reading it."

"Cavca…" Sam started, but stopped knowing that she wouldn't want to talk about it. Cavca was never one to openly express her feelings which was why Frodo still didn't know how she felt. She never acted any differently around him.

"So, time to wish Dersi a happy trip, huh?" she said stepping around the two of them and heading out the door. As she left the front door, she mumbled to herself, "Goodbye Bag End."

* * *

Cavca looked around at Merry, Pippin, Dersi, Tersa, and Sam, all of whom sat at one of the round tables at The Green Dragon near the fire along side her. The normal cozy flames blew cold air toward her and embraced her shoulders without warning. She shivered. Everyone was a bit solemn tonight. There was a secret that Cavca wasn't supposed to know about tonight. She did. The secret that they were all trying to hide from Cavca was that Tersa and Sam would be accompanying Dersi to the Undying Lands. That was actually why she was going. Then, when she returned, she, Pippin, and Merry were moving to Rohan and Gondor. They were all going to see Frodo and Bilbo, and none of them would be coming back to the Shire. Cavca was going to be left alone in the Shire. No one was going to be left behind with her. For this very reason, for the previous week, Cavca had been spending less time in Bag End and more time with her friends. She knew that these would be her last memories of her friends she probably would ever have. 

Part of her was extremely frightened to think about what her life would be like without them. She had known Bilbo her entire life and Frodo and Sam for nearly that long. She'd followed Pip and Merry on many adventures without them knowing it when she was in her tweens and had actually met them along with Tersa when she was sixteen and Dersi shortly afterward. She'd known them all forever and now, not only was she losing the one lad she'd ever loved and her surrogate father, but she was losing the rest of her friends as well. She was to be left alone in a town full of people who hated her for being different. She hadn't felt that alone since her father had died.

Tersa and Dersi looked at each other and Cavca worriedly. They could tell that something was bothering her but couldn't tell what. Then it happened, a silent message was passed between them. She knew.

"Cavca, there's something I need to tell you," Sam said beating both Tersa and Dersi to saying something. "When Dersi leaves for the Undying Lands, she's not leaving alone. . . . . . . Tersa and I are going with her. . . . We aren't coming back with her either."

There was silence as all awaited Cavca's response. Dersi cleared her throat slightly, then continued with the confessions when Cavca made no intention of speaking.

"Pip and Merry are coming too. But, after I get back, Pippin and I are going to Gondor. And Merry's going to Rohan," Dersi said cautiously. They all breathed very quietly and quickly in order to catch any indication of responding whatsoever.

"I know," Cavca sighed after a moment. "I've known for a week."

"Cavca, I'm so sorry," Tersa said. "It's just, Sam wants to see Frodo again and Lord knows I can't leave him."

"And I have been offered my official position again by Aragorn," Pippin said almost silently.

"I know, and I wish you all luck. Have fun," Cavca said still not looking up from the glass of tea she'd been staring into.

"Cavca, you know you're welcome to come with any of us," Merry spoke up at last.

"Thank you, but I need to stay here. There's really no other place for me anyway."

"Cavca, that's not true! Damn it! Why don't you get off your lazy ass and go get him already?! You're not some lady in waiting and even if you were, he won't be coming back. He's off to the Undying Lands, Cavca. That means he won't be coming back!" Tersa flipped. "Just come with us and talk to him! I mean, for crying out loud, you've been miserable for six and a half years! Just go and see him!"

"No, Tersa. Thank you for trying, but I'm going to stay here. I want to. Someone has to make sure the Sackville-Bagginses don't take over Bag End. Besides, he wouldn't want me there anyway. It'd be just like it was when he was here. He'd get annoyed with me and he wouldn't want me around him. There'd be no purpose for me going. Thank you all for caring. I'm sorry that I'm making you worry or anything. But, please. If I could, can I ask that one of you deliver this to him?" Cavca brought out the enveloped parchment and placed it on the table in front of Tersa and Sam.

"What's this?" Sam asked picking it up and looking it over.

"A letter. Please give it to him. . . . It's okay if he doesn't read it or even if he won't accept it, but I want it to be said that I tried."

"Tried what?"

"To tell him," Tersa mumbled quietly. "She told him that she loved him in that letter. Didn't you?"

"Yes," Cavca mouthed unable to speak.

After a moment of looking at Cavca, Tersa picked up the letter and put it in her breast pocket. "I'll give it to him personally and I'll make him read it."

"Thank you, Tersa," Cavca said smiling weakly up at her. "I'm really going to miss all of you. Maybe one day I'll get to see you again."

"I'll miss you, too, Cavca. Don't doubt that," Tersa said moving next to her to hug her. Dersi moved to her other side and hugged her as well.

"We'll all miss you, Cavca. We love you. You've been our friend forever it seems," Dersi said as tears welled up in her eyes as if for the first time, she was actually thinking of what was going to happen. The Fellowship was going to be split up further. The only ones that had stayed together throughout the entire span from when the Fellowship of the Ring was created to when all of those within it died would be Tersa, Sam, and Frodo. Everyone else would be separated. Dersi supposed that she would never see Cavca, Sam, Tersa, Frodo, or Merry ever again. She figured she would see Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli and she was going with Pippin, but she would miss all of her other friends.

Cavca was having a hard time trying not to break down and begin crying again in front of everyone. Every night this past week, she had bawled herself to sleep when she thought of everyone she was losing. She would miss them dearly and never have a moment when she wouldn't wish they were there. She had felt that she never deserved being near them to begin with, but still, she wished they wouldn't leave. With all her heart, she longed for them to stay with her, and she wanted Frodo, Bilbo, and Gandalf to come back. She sighed as she was brought back to reality. She knew they wouldn't. She knew they couldn't. And she also knew that she had to stay here; in the place of her childhood; the place where she had memories with each of them. "I love you all. And I won't forget you no matter how senile I get."

The table erupted into a sad, half hearted laughter. They all looked around at each other and there was not a dry eye among them. They all looked at Dersi who nodded, alerting them to the fact that they had to leave. Each of them hugged each other, knowing that this would probably be the last time they were all together. All of them wished for a time when they and all of their other friends were together.

"Goodbye, Cavca," Pippin said, hugging her. "I think that Frodo missed out on something really wonderful with you. I wish he could have seen it."

"Thank you, Pippin. I'll miss you so much." Cavca said clinging to him as she had done with everyone else as well. "Goodbye. I'll try and see you again."

"And I, you."

"I know that Frodo will eventually come to his senses," Merry said as he hugged her when his turn came. "Unfortunately, it will be too late. You are an amazing person, Cavca. I'll miss hanging out with you."

"I hope that you find someone who will make you happy, Merry. Thank you for always being nice to me. I'll remember fondly of the times we spent with Pippin in Farmer Maggot's crop." She smiled slightly remembering the first time she went **with** them, rather than following them. Pippin had ticked off Farmer Maggot's dogs and Cavca had helped to get them out of there. "Goodbye, Merry."

Then, there was Sam. He was the only person she hadn't said goodbye to and he was probably going to be the hardest of those left. He was her favorite cousin and he had treated her like his younger sister where her own older brother had left her. She loved him very much and didn't want to think of him leaving. Samwise Gamgee was one of the first people in her family to actually give a damn about her well-being. He was the older brother and friend she had wished for that her own brother wasn't. After a moment of staring at each other, Cavca hugged him tightly.

"I'm going to miss you, Sam. Goodbye," she said simply. Tears rolled down her face, but she ignored them, too busy to acknowledge them as she tried to keep from sobbing into the sleeves of her sweater. Backing away from him and turning to face all of them, she said, "I love you all and I'm going to miss you greatly. No matter what, I swear that I will not forget any of you."

"And we will never forget you," Dersi said, sadly.

"No. We won't," Sam said.


	3. Chapter 3: Memories before the Journey

Chapter Three: Memories before the Journey

* * *

The goodbyes had been said. Cavca sat on the flat floor of the tree house down Bag Shot Row of Bag End. She had a book she had at one time used as a sort of diary. She read the days when she was describing Frodo and the others and the day when she actually met them. She read about the adventures she had had with them since she'd met them and about the day she met Tersa and Dersi and the day Tersa met the others. She spent all day there and finally ended up drifting off to sleep as the stars littered the sky. 

That night, she had an interesting dream. She walked down the road to Tersa and Sam's house, hand in hand with someone she could not see correctly. She walked down to Tersa's and saw a beautiful little girl running down the street toward her.

"Aunt Cavca!" the girl cried joyously and ran to hug her. She threw herself into Cavca's arms with such force, you'd assume it was someone much bigger than this small, foot and a half tall child. In her dream, Cavca smiled broadly as she clutched the child to her.

"Well, hello, dear," Cavca said to her once she had placed her back upon the ground. "Where's your mummy?"

"She and daddy are in the garden."

"Shoulda known." Cavca started to walk down the road again after the small, golden haired girl but turned back when she noticed her companion was not following. "Come on." She grabbed his wrist and pulled him to the gate where the young lass stood waiting.

"Cavca!" Tersa yelled as she saw her coming around the side of the hobbit hole and into the garden.

"Hallo Tersa. How are you?" Cavca said smiling all the more. Seeing Tersa reminded her of how much she had missed her.

"I'm fine, and you?"

"I'm great."

"Who's that with you?"

"This?" Cavca asked, turning toward her shadowed friend with whom she had walked arm in arm. She smiled to herself, knowing the immense surprise it would be for her cousin and best friend. Though she could not see who it was throughout the dream, she knew it was someone special and she felt slight anticipation to see who it actually was.

"No way," Sam muttered under his breath. ". . . Frodo?"

Tersa went wide eyed as she stared past Cavca and to the now distinct featured Frodo standing next to her.

"Hallo, everyone," Frodo mumbled.

"Frodo? As in Mr. Frodo Baggins?" the little girl asked tugging at her mother's sleeve. "Like the Mr. Frodo that you and Daddy went on your adventure with?"

"Shhh. Not now. I'll tell you later," Tersa said brushing her off, not even having listened to what the girl said. She stared, unblinking at Frodo. "But, how? When? What happened?"

"I came back," Frodo said simply to her.

"Why?"

"Because here is my life. Why did you come back?"

"Because we missed everyone."

"Exactly."

"So, what's going on now?"

"I have come back. I missed you all and especially my Cavca. I love you, Cavca. I always have. I was just too afraid to tell you. But now I promise that I will never leave again."

* * *

Cavca jolted awake to find herself on the warped wooden floor of the tree house. She clung to the green cloak she had been given by Gala during the War of the Ring. A cold breeze froze by her, blowing her hair around her in a tight grip. She picked up her journal and shoved it into her pocket as she jumped from branch to branch down the tree, too energetic to use the ladder. She bolted across the back meadows of Bywater and Hobbiton so as to not have to deal with the locals in her present mood. When she finally reached her home, she shoved open the door and ran to her room, collapsing on her bed. Hot tears flowed down her face and she wept into her soft pillow. 

She knew it wasn't real; that there was no hope for it to ever become real. It was too clichéd. For one, Frodo would never love her, and he certainly wouldn't come back for her. Not to mention the fact that Tersa and Sam had a little girl. Tersa hates children. She would never end up having one. It was just her absent minded hope that one day, he would come back to her. She sat up and wiped her tears away. She looked at her clock that sat on her bedside table. It read ten O five. She must have slept the entire night in the tree house. As she stood again and began to ready herself for the day ahead of her, her slender black cat brushed up against her leg and purred loudly as it greeted it's owner.

"Good morning, Luna," Cavca whispered to the cat. She remembered when she had gotten her. It had been a present for her twenty fifth birthday from Frodo. Back then, Luna had been no more than a tiny black kitten. She thought back to her birthday when she had been given her precious friend. Luna had never left her since then. She had turned twenty five and it had seemed that no one remembered her birthday. She had been left alone because Tersa and Sam were doing something and Pip and Merry were out and about in various places. She had no idea where Bilbo and Frodo were, but it wasn't a huge deal. She was glad that no one had remembered. She didn't like when people made a fuss over her.

She had spent the entire day reading in the back of the Green Dragon when Frodo came rushing in. He grabbed her arm and pulled her out telling her he had something important to show her. Even though Frodo had appeared to be in a rush, they sort of ambled their way to Bag End. When they arrived, Cavca noticed that Bilbo was not in his usual place in the study. In fact, he wasn't home at all. Frodo had her sit on the couch in the living room and said he would go get what he had to show her. As she sat and waited, Frodo snuck up behind her and placed a blindfold around her head.

"What the?" Cavca started but was cut off by Frodo pushing his finger to her lips to shush her.

"This is what I wanted to show you," he said. Cavca could hear his feet hit the ground as he walked around the couch and sat on the footstool in front of it. He placed a small, but rather heavy bag in her lap and moved her hands to the ribbon keeping it together. As Cavca started to untie the ribbon, however, she felt the bag move and she jumped slightly.

"What is it?" she asked, almost frightened.

"Open it," Frodo said, his voice now coming from behind her. When she finished untying the ribbon and let the satin cloth fall down upon her lap, Frodo removed the blindfold and allowed Cavca to gaze down onto her knees.

"Oh my God," she muttered seeing the cutest little black ball of fur laying curled up on her leg. "What is it?" She couldn't tell what animal it was nor what gender, and she certainly didn't want to wake it to find out.

"She's an all black little kitten. She's your birthday present."

"What? You got me a present? Frodo, you didn't have to. You especially didn't have to go to such extremes."

"Do you not like her?"

"No, I love her. She's beautiful. I was just I wasn't expecting you to do anything like this."

"Well, it's your birthday. I had to do something. And this way she can be with you when no one else can."

"But, but why?"

"Because you've always been there for me. I wanted to give you someone who could always be there for you, even when I can't."

"Frodo…" She stared at him for a moment before shoving her hope from her mind. "She's beautiful. What's her name?"

"You choose. I didn't name her."

"But what should I name her?"

"Cavca, you've got a kitten in your lap who needs a name. What's her name?"

"Luna. Her name is Luna."

"A beautiful name for a beautiful cat with a beautiful owner."

Cavca blushed slightly. "Frodo, quit kidding around."

"I'm not joking."

She glared at him weakly. "You know you didn't have to do this. There's really no reason to."

"Cavca, it's your birthday! Why wouldn't I get you anything?"

"Because there's no point in it."

Frodo sighed. "You are so stubborn. It's no wonder you're not dating. Probably have one oblivious guy who doesn't deserve you anyway. Yet you refuse to look at anyone else." Sigh.

"Well, you know I've been searching for true love for a long time," she smiled.

"Who is he?"

"What?"

"Who's the guy you fell for? Who is this idiot?"

"I'm not in love with anyone. There isn't anyone who ignores me like that." She winced, being forced to lie to him. _No. I won't ruin his life just so I don't have to lie to him. He doesn't deserve to be destroyed for that._

"You're lying to me," he said after a minute. "But that's okay. You don't have to tell me. I get it."

"Frodo, no! It would kill me to lie to you. You're my best friend! I couldn't." That wasn't a lie. It was killing her to lie to him. She hated it, but the truth was worse.

"Alright. I believe you." He laughed a bit as he stood up. "Come on."

"Where?"

"It's a secret. I can't tell you."

"What? Frodo, tell me where we're going."

"Nope. You'll just have to wait to find out."

He grabbed her wrist and drug her out of Bag End. He replaced the blindfold so he was leading her blind. She heard the townsfolk chattering nearby, but after a while, the noises died and all she could hear was Frodo's footsteps. She heard rushing water and could only guess that they were near Bywater Pool. After a long while she heard Frodo stop and say, "Alright, we're here." He slid the blindfold off as the large noise erupted in,

"Surprise!"

There in her own home stood all of her friends: Tersa and Sam, Merry and Pippin, Dersi and Bilbo, and even Gandalf, all waiting to spend the day with her.

"Oh, my god, you guys! Why'd you do this?"

"Because we love you, Cavca," Frodo whispered beside her.

"you're always doing this crap for us. We thought you deserved it," Sam said rolling his eyes.

"Get over it! You're loved," Tersa bluntly pointed out.

"I don't know what to say. Thank you, you guys. I love you, too," Cavca said as she was glomped in all directions.

* * *

Cavca sighed, her mind returning from her past. She wasn't entirely sure where to go from here. Her friends were gone, all of them. She wasn't sure what to do. 

_Well I'll be damned if I'm gonna stay here the rest of my life. My adventures aren't over just yet,_ she thought. She decided to visit North Farthing at the camping site they used to go to. So she set off, unsure why she was going.


	4. Chapter 4: The Letter

Chapter Four: The Letter

* * *

She kept a journal of sorts, writing to her friends as though they were there; writing to Frodo as if he didn't know anything; and revising the letter she wrote to him over and over again. She wrote to Frodo near everyday; sometimes he would know already and love her back, others he wouldn't know a thing, but it was always him. 

She stayed at the campsite for a week before moving on. She traveled to Bree and eventually back to Rivendell. It had fallen into disrepair, but its beauty remained. She stayed there a long while, a month in solitude before heading back home. When she finally reached Bywater, she headed toward Hobbiton to Bag End. She hadn't been back in four and a half months and a thick layer of dust coated the entire house. She set about cleaning it, and when she finished, as she left, she found a small, silver scroll lying in the dirt directly in front of the door. It glittered in the moonlight as she bent to pick it up, and she read the following:

'_Dear Cavca, I figured here would be the best place of locating you as you were always there before. I thought I should inform you that your friends arrived safely yesterday. They are all fine. Dersi did a fine job of sailing them here. The others plan to leave in two weeks to continue their journey. We all miss you (believe it or not, myself included) and wish you well. Yours, Gandalf.'_

And as if Gandalf would know her suspicions, he wrote out his runes to assure her that it wasn't a joke. She stood there, shell shocked, unsure of what to do and unable to move. She hadn't expected to ever hear from any of them again. How had Gandalf done that? **Why** had Gandalf done that? She wasn't just settling in to her life before her friends when this beautiful Elven designed edged scroll appeared out of nowhere. What did this mean? What was she supposed to do? She was constantly tortured by remembering her once fantastic life, but now she was getting letters, too? She sighed heavily. _Gandalf, why must you keep me sane? Why won't you let me drift off into fantasy? _She went home and fell into bed, mentally exhausted. She fell into a half dream about Tersa delivering her letter to Frodo. He read it and chastised Cavca for being so stupid and selfish for even thinking of telling him something that could damage him. Cavca awoke in tears, regretting her decision to write him. She stopped writing to her friends. Instead she wrote to her cousins to try to find Andy, her self-centered, runaway brother. She didn't expect to find him, but he was all she had left. Little did she know, he was passed out drunk in an inn in West Farthing.

* * *

Short as hell, I know. Sorry, if any of you care, but next chapter brings in Andy, and he demands to be the start of a chapter. Well, please give me your thoughts and continue reading. 


	5. Chapter 5: Andwise

Chapter Five: Andwise  
(told ya he wanted his own chapter)

Andy had been through a few serious girlfriends, but he had lost most of them due to his drinking habit and another because his sister had scared her off. Andwise Jeremy Gamgee had been orphaned at thirty one. His only relative that remained was his little sister, Cavca. There was a fifteen year difference between them, so they never were all too close. But it was never really expected that Andy would abandon her like he did. No one **ever** expected her to want him back with her, including him. Now he lay in the alley behind the Iron Moon, a pub in the North Farthing. A lass in her late-thirties scuttled out back and nearly jumped in shock. She sighed and walked over to where Andy was passed out.

"Andwise Gamgee, what have you gotten yourself into now? What am I going to do with you?" she sighed. She kicked him slightly in his ribs, and he rolled over, moaning loudly. She kicked him harder. "Andy, get up."

"Go away," he muttered in his sleep.

"Andwise Jeremy Gamgee! Get your lazy butt off the ground and into the inn! Get yourself some coffee and sober up!" She stamped her foot on the ground by his head.

"Yes, ma'am. Alright, alright, I'm up." He stumbled to his feet. "Damn, you reminded me of my sister," he said wandering toward the front.

"Oh, you have a sister who tried to keep you in line? Good for her, too bad it didn't work."

"Yea, except she's like twenty years younger than me."

"You're younger sister's more responsible than you?"

"Pretty much."

They hit the door and from within came the call, "Miss Mary!"

The woman sighed. "I better be off. Mr. Took is calling again."

"That's okay. I'll wait at the bar."

Miss Mary Len was thirty seven years old and the owner of the Iron Moon Inn. She was slim with dainty features and pale skin topped with shoulder length rust-red gentle curls. She had grown up with her father owning the inn. She was supposed to go to the South Farthing when she was younger to study literature from her tutor: a young girl about her age who could speak fluent Elven, but around the same time as her tutor's mother died, Mary's father grew ill. He willed the inn to her. As her mother had died when Mary was an infant, she felt obligated to stay and take care of her father. He died less than two years later. And Mary had been running the inn ever since. She had known Andy for over sixteen years. She'd seen him through all the bad relationships, disliking the girls he chose to date each time. They hadn't really become close until two years ago when he and his most recent horror had ended. Since then, he'd spent most of his time at her pub. Mary hadn't realized just how little she knew about her friend until this day.

"So what's she like?" Mary asked placing a steaming cup of tea in front of Andy.

"Who?"

"Your sister."

"Cavca?"

"If that's her name, then yes."

"You know, I don't know. I haven't seen her in so long that I couldn't tell you. She used to be really introverted, never had any friends. She isolated herself from people. Then again, she was a freak. She could speak, read, and write fluent Elven and Dwarven by the time she was twelve. She would only hang out with an old wizard who was a friend of our dad's and this creepy old shut-in. And that was before our mom died."

"Sounds like she just needed a friend. Maybe they were her friends."

"Maybe, but I haven't seen her in—gah—it must be eighteen years."

"you left your sister alone when she was a tween?! How could you?! What with having to watch her father and mother die at such a young age, then you leave her? You're horrible! You get in contact with her!"

"But, Mary—"

"No! You left your baby sister all alone. Don't talk to me!"

"If I had done that to you, would you want me back?!"

Mary turned toward him and sighed. "No."

"You don't even know that half of it. You don't think I regret it? I do, but there's nothing I can do about it now. She probably went to live with my cousins. Lord only knows where she is now. Believe me, if I could find her, I would."

The door creaked open and a lad in baggy clothes and a plaid cap walked up to the bar. He looked at Mary.

"Excuse me, Miss," he said in the unusually high voice of a boy of his mid-twenties. "Are you the owner of this pub?"

"I am. What can I help you with?"

"I've been sent to this town in search of someone. Can you tell me where Andy Gamgee lives?"

Andy turned toward the voice. "I am Andy Gamgee."

The boy paused a moment, then dug into his pocket and pulled out a crumpled envelope with scrawled emerald letters in fancy calligraphy.

"Andwise Jeremy Gamgee?"

"Yes. What is that?"

"I have a letter for you from your sister."

"Cavca?!" Andy's breath caught as he gazed unblinking at the envelope.

"Here you go." The boy put the letter on the table and walked out.

"Cavca wrote me? After all this time?"

"Well open it," Mary urged.

"Yeah." _What's wrong, Cavca?

* * *

_

Cavca breathed finally after rushing out of the Iron Moon. She pulled her cap off and let her black hair fall to her waist before shoving the cap in her pocket. She hadn't expected to see him so suddenly. Eighteen years hadn't changed him at all. She remembered his deep auburn hair falling into his pale green eyes. His hair was lighter now, but his eyes were exactly as she remembered them. She wanted to go home. There was nothing for her here, but something stopped her. She went just outside of town and slipped a long green dress on over her clothes and pulled her baggy clothes out from underneath it. Pulling her hair back, she put her bag around her shoulder and headed back into town. She walked back into the Iron Moon and marched up to the bar. She waited patiently for the owner to come over to her.

"She says she's doing wonderful. She's not married, but she has her own place along with our house as kids. She works for Farmer Maggot and has lots of friends. She says that our cousins took her in and that she just wanted to let me know that she was going to be okay."

Cavca winced. She hated having to lie, but she hadn't wanted to irritate him. "Excuse me, Miss?" she said in a false high. "I'm on my way to Bree to visit my sister, and I was wondering if you had an available room for me to stay in."

"Oh, yes, of course. I'll need your name."

"Nancy Cotton."

"Alright. Follow me."

She led Cavca into a back hallway into the hill and by several doors before reaching a room with the number 29 written on it.

"Here you are, Miss Cotton."

"Thank you, Miss…"

"Mary Len."

"Thank you, Miss Len."

* * *

Cavca stayed at the Iron Moon for a few weeks. She watched Andy and Mary Len, unsure what exactly she was doing there. She hadn't expected her letter to change him, but part of her had hoped that he would have recognized her as she was now. That was a foolish wish, she knew, but the part of her that yearned for her family and old life refused to give up. That was why she was still here. Because one part of her wanted so desperately to have someone who thought she was worth something. She stood up and stormed out of the bar to her room.

* * *

Mary saw Cavca run our looking angry. It had been so sudden that she worried about the poor girl. She followed the girl to her room and knocked lightly on the door. 

"Nancy? Are you alright, Nancy?" she asked. Then she heard bickering in a voice lower than Nancy's.

"Dammit, Cavca, why are you still here?! What is wrong with you?! He's never gonna get it, for pity's sake. He's a moron! He always has been. I don't know why you're still here. I mean, you hate dresses! And your throat hurts form talking in that high voice. Why'd you pick Cotton anyway? You **hate** Rosie. Stupid, stupid, stupid!" A banging was heard and the door shook slightly. Then there was a sigh. "I should never have come out here. I don't belong here. I don't belong anywhere." Sigh. "I'm going home."

* * *

Cavca opened the door to find Mary standing by it. 

"Miss Len, I'm leaving now. Can I check out?" she said stopping suddenly.

"Sure, Cavca, if that's what you want."

Oh, no. Cavca wasn't going to get caught in that trap.

"Cavca? I believe you've mistaken me for another of your customers. I'm Nancy Cotton, remember?"

"No, you're not. You're Andy's little sister, Cavca Gamgee."

"I don't know what you're talking about. I left the money on the bedside table. Good day."

"Cavca, wait."

"Oh, and I think you should know that the guy you've been hanging out with since I got here is in love with you."

"What?!" That threw her. Mary stopped on the spot, flabbergasted. Meanwhile, Cavca walked straight out of town and back into the woods. There she changed back into her normal clothes and stuffed her hair back under the cap. Then she walked back into the inn.

"You!" she called to Andy. "You're the guy I gave that letter to a few weeks ago, right? The letter from your sister?" Her voice was deeper now.

"Yeah. That's me."

"well, I'm heading down there if you want to send something."

"Oh, uh, I don't know. I—uh—guess not."

"Okay then. See ya."


End file.
